Log InRegister
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreOur ScienceMindat Newsletter [Free Download]Contact Us
Donate to MindatSponsor a PageCorporate SponsorshipSponsored Pages
Learning CenterWhat Is a Mineral?The Most Common Minerals on EarthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesMindat Newsletter [Free Download]The ElementsThe Mineral Quiz
Minerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryMineral Visual ExplorerAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDMinerals by CountryAlphabetical Mineral IndexAlphabetical Locality SearchMineral Association SearchList of CountriesLocalities Near MePhoto SearchSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryMore Search Options
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
MineralsPetrologyFossilsMeteoritesGeologic Time
Mining CompaniesStatisticsMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsDevice SettingsTime Machine
Read DiscussionsIdentification Request
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColourPhoto Colour ExplorerNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography

Cossaite

A valid IMA mineral species
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
02602150017271951004482.jpg
Cossaite, etc.

La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, Italy
03896330017271951025744.jpg
Cossaite, etc.

La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, Italy
02602150017271951004482.jpg
Cossaite, etc.

La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, Italy
03896330017271951025744.jpg
Cossaite, etc.

La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, Italy
02602150017271951004482.jpg
Cossaite, etc.

La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, Italy
03896330017271951025744.jpg
Cossaite, etc.

La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands, Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, Italy
Hide all sections | Show all sections

About CossaiteHide

04399330017271951088782.jpg
Alfonso Cossa
Formula:
(Mg0.5,◻)Al6(SO4)6(HSO4)F6 · 36H2O
The earlier proposed formula NaAl6(SO4)6(SO3F)F6.36H2O is false (see Demartin et al., 2011).
Colour:
Colourless
Lustre:
Vitreous
Specific Gravity:
2.08
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Name:
Named by Francesco Demartin, Carlo Maria Gramaccioli, Italo Campostrini, and C. Castellano in 2011 in honor of Alfonso Cossa (3 November 1833, Milan, Italy - 23 October 1902, Turin, Italy), for his work on the minerals and rocks of Vulcano.
[http://www.platinummetalsreview.com/pdf/pmr-v34-i4-215-221.pdf]
This page provides mineralogical data about Cossaite.


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
39568
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:39568:5

Similar NamesHide

CociteA rock subtype
CoesiteA valid IMA mineral species - grandfatheredSiO2
Cossaite (of Piolti?)A variety of ParagoniteNaAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CösiteA synonym of 'Oösite'
GoyzaiteA synonym of Goyazite
Jossaite
KassiteA valid IMA mineral speciesCaTi2O4(OH)2

IMA Classification of CossaiteHide

IMA status:
Approved
IMA Formula:
(Mg0.5,◻)Al6(S6+O4)6(HS6+O4)F6·36H2O
Approval year:
2009

Classification of CossaiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
7.DE.

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
E : With only medium-sized cations; unclassified

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
CssIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of CossaiteHide

Lustre:
Vitreous
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
Colourless
Streak:
White
Tenacity:
Brittle
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
2.08(1) g/cm3 (Measured)    2.075 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Chemistry of CossaiteHide

Mindat Formula:
(Mg0.5,◻)Al6(SO4)6(HSO4)F6 · 36H2O

The earlier proposed formula NaAl6(SO4)6(SO3F)F6.36H2O is false (see Demartin et al., 2011).
Element Weights:
Element% weight
O63.599 %
S13.941 %
Al10.055 %
F7.080 %
H4.570 %
Mg0.755 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Elements listed:
Al, F, H, Mg, O, S - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of CossaiteHide

Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3 - Rhombohedral
Space Group:
R3
Cell Parameters:
a = 22.023(2) Å, c = 9.237(2) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.419
Unit Cell V:
3,879.85 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Crystal StructureHide

Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Display Options
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
View
CIF File    Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
Rotation
Stop | Start
Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
IDSpeciesReferenceLinkYearLocalityPressure (GPa)Temp (K)
0018525CossaiteDemartin F, Gramaccioli C M, Campostrini I, Castellano C (2011) Cossaite, (Mg0.5,_)Al6(SO4)6(HSO4)F6*36H2O, a new mineral from La Fossa crater, Vulcano, Aeolian Islands, Italy Mineralogical Magazine 75 2847-28552011La Fossa crater, Vulcano, Aeolian Islands, Italy0293
CIF Raw Data - click here to close

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
10.997 Å(50)
4.584 Å(25)
4.152 Å(100)
3.873 Å(70)
2.770 Å(20)
2.345 Å(17)
2.166 Å(20)
Locality:
La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands (Aeolian Islands), Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, Italy

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of CossaiteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Lipari, Eolie Islands (Aeolian Islands), Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, Italy
General Appearance of Type Material:
Stout prismatic crystals up to 0.1 mm in size, which are terminated by rhombohedral faces.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Reference Collection of the Dipartimento di Chimica Strutturale e Stereochimica Inorganica at the Universita degli Studi di Milano, Italy (catalogue No. 2009-1).
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Cossaite was found on altered pyroclastic breccia at the F5AT medium-temperature fumarole (T ~350ºC), which is located at the rim of La Fossa crater.

Synonyms of CossaiteHide

Other Language Names for CossaiteHide

Dutch:Cossaiet
German:Cossait

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
2 photos of Cossaite associated with ThermessaiteK2AlF3(SO4)

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

7.DE.MagnesioalteriteMg2Fe3+4(SO4)4(C2O4)2(OH)4 · 17H2OMon. 2/m : B2/b
7.DE.FabritziteZn9(SO4)2(OH)12Cl2 · 6H2OTrig. 3 : R3
7.DE.DownsiteK2(MoO3)3(SO4) · 4H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
7.DE.LiangjuniteK2(Mo2O5)(SO4)2 · 3H2OTric. 1 : P1
7.DE.05MangazeiteAl2(SO4)(OH)4 · 3H2OTric.
7.DE.10'UKI-1975-(SO:AlCu)'(Cu, Al, SO4, H2O)
7.DE.10CarbonatecyanotrichiteCu4Al2(CO3,SO4)(OH)12 · 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
7.DE.10CyanotrichiteCu4Al2(SO4)(OH)12 · 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
7.DE.15SchwertmanniteFe3+16(OH,SO4)12-13O16 · 10-12H2OTet.
7.DE.20TlalociteCu10Zn6(Te6+O4)2(Te4+O3)(OH)25Cl · 27H2OOrth.
7.DE.25UtahiteMgCu4Zn2Te6+3O14(OH)4 · 6H2OTric. 1 : P1
7.DE.35CoquanditeSb6+xO8+x(SO4)(OH)x(H2O)1- x (x = 0.3)Tric. 1 : P1
7.DE.40OsakaiteZn4(SO4)(OH)6 · 5H2OTric. 1 : P1
7.DE.42AlteriteZn2Fe3+4(SO4)4(C2O4)2(OH)4 · 17H2OMon. 2/m : B2/b
7.DE.45BarrotiteCu9Al(HSiO4)2[(SO4)(HAsO4)0.5](OH)12 · 8H2OTrig. 3
7.DE.45WilcoxiteMgAl(SO4)2F · 17H2OTric. 1 : P1
7.DE.47Tiberiobardiite{Cu9Al[SiO3(OH)]2(OH)12(H2O)6}(SO4)1.5 · 10H2OTrig. 3 : R3
7.DE.50Bouškaite(MoO2)2O(SO3OH)2(H2O)4Tric. 1 : P1
7.DE.50Stanleyite(V4+O)(SO4) · 6H2OOrth.
7.DE.57'Khangalasite'Fe(SO4)(OH) · 2H2OTric.
7.DE.60HydrobasaluminiteAl4(SO4)(OH)10 · 12-36H2OMon.
7.DE.62VolaschioiteFe4(SO4)O2(OH)6 · 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
7.DE.65ZaheriteAl12(SO4)5(OH)26 · 20H2OTric.
7.DE.75CamérolaiteCu6Al3(OH)18(H2O)2[Sb(OH)6](SO4)Tric. 1 : P1

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for CossaiteHide

References for CossaiteHide

Localities for CossaiteHide

Showing 1 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
Hide all sections | Show all sections

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed. - This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. - Good crystals or important locality for species. - World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Italy (TL)
 
  • Sicily
    • Metropolitan City of Messina
      • Eolie Islands (Aeolian Islands)
        • Lipari
          • Vulcano Island
Campostrini et al. (2010) +1 other reference
Quick NavTopAbout CossaiteUnique IdentifiersSimilar NamesIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatOther InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
 
and/or  
Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: October 4, 2026 02:36:10 Page updated: August 19, 2026 00:09:56
Go to top of page